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STATE: Form 10-300 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR (Rev. 6-72) NATIONAL PARK SERVICE Colorado COUNTY: NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES Pitkin INVENTORY - NOMINATION FORM FOR NPS USE ONLY ENTRY DATE (Type all entries complete applicable sections) UN 1 2 W5 COMMON: pitkin county Courthouse AND/OR HISTORIC: pitkin County courthouse STREET AND NUMBER: 506 East Main Street CITY OR TOWN: CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT: Aspen STATE Colorado 08 pitkin 051 BliMsfiiiiiiQi CATEGORY ACCESSIBLE OWNERSH.P STATUS (Check One) TO THE PUBLIC Q District jg Building 89 Public Public Acquisition: (X) Occupied Yes: ,, .1 CH Restricted Q Site Q Structure D Private Q In Process Unoccupied r— i D • d— Unrestricted D Object D Both [~] Being Considered |-j p reservat|on w in progress ' — ' PRESENT USE (Check One or More as Appropriate) [~1 Agricultural ps| Government | | Park Q Commercial CD Industrial ( | Private Residence C] Educational 1 1 Military [ | Religious Q Entertainment l~l Museum [~1 Scientific OWNER'S NAME-. ffffyws Pitkin county, Colorado Colorado STREET AND NUMBER: —NATIONAL 506 East Main Street CITY OR TOWN: STATE: Aspen Colorado m j~i 08 COURTHOUSE, REGISTRY OF DEEDS, ETC: Clerk and Recorder, Courthouse COUNTY: Pitkin STREET AND NUMBER: 506 East Main Street Cl TY OR TOWN: STATE Aspen Colorado 08 TITUE OF SURVEY: City and Townsite of Aspen DATE OF SURVEY: |~] Federal n State County Q Loca -J.A DEPOSITORY FOR SURVEY RECORDS: County Engineer STREET AND NUMBER: 506 East Main Street CITY OR TOWN: STATE: Aspen Colorado 08 (Check One) Excellent Q Good Q Fair Deteriorated Q Roins Unexposed CONDITION (Check One) (Chock One) D Altered D Unaltered Q~] Moved Q Original Site DESCRIBE THE PRESENT AND ORIGINAL ("// Jcnoivn.) PHYSICAL APPEARANCE Pitkin County acquired Lots K, L, M, N, and O, Block 92 of the Original Aspen Townsite in May of 1890. The courthouse had been located at the corner of Mill and Cooper Street. William Quay of Denver had been chosen as architect for a new courthouse building and his plans were accepted by the county Commissioners in December of 1888. j. D. Hooper, as contractor of the project, began work in July of 1890 and the building was dedicated with a ceremony in late January of 1891. It has served as the seat of county government since that time. The courthouse stands on the northern corner of Galena and Main Street. The corner stone is of pitkin County granite and takes a fine polish. The finishing both without and within is excellent. Over the main street entrance is a silver figure of Justice. In the south east portion of the basement is the jail, which is entered through the jailor's office; the female pris­ oners room being to the right. The jail consists of a steel cage in which are the cells, five in number, surrounding a cor­ ridor. The top and floor are also of steel, three layers being used, one soft and two hard. Each cell contains two bunks, so that the jail will accommodate twenty prisoners. The cells are all unlocked from the outside of the cage by an ingenious lever arrangement. From the basement to the tower the building is complete in every detail, neat in design and convenient in plan. The sanitary arrangements were considered of the very best and the building was lighted by electricity. PERIOD ("Check One or More as Appropriate) n Pre-Colombion! D 16th Century D 18th Century 20th Century n 15th Century D 17th Century KJ 19th Century SPECIFIC DATE(S) (It Applicable and Known) AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE (Check One or More as Appropriate) Abor iginal | | Education ] Political [| Urban Planning Q] Prehistoric n Engineering Q Religion/Phi- O Other (Specify) [~) Historic Ill] Industry losophy | | Agriculture [3 Invention Q Science (J2 Architecture n Landscape Q Sculpture D Art Architecture (jg Social/Human- [ 1 Commerce D Literature itarian | | Communications D Military Q Theater | | Conservation I I Music [ | Transportation STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE The Pitkin County courthouse is one of the oldest in the State of Colorado still being used for its original county government purpose. A building of this size was a tremendous undertaking for a community only ten (10) years old. The elaborate arrangement and architectural design used in the Courthouse establishes it as extremely impressive building. The materials used are local in origin and the ex­ terior has been altered very little from its original design. Recent exterior renovation has restored the exterior facade. u The location of the Courthouse at the corner of Galena and Main has established this as a public area and a recognizable focal point in the community. Because the Pitkin County Courthouse (1) meets the standards and criteria as outlined in the city zoning code for designation as an H-Historic Overlay District, (2) has significant importance historically, architecturally and georgraphically, and (3) the preservation of such a unique and outstanding building is in the best interest of the citizens of Pitkin county and Aspen, the Historic Preservation Com­ mittee recommends that public hearings be held to consider an H-Historic Overlay District for the Pitkin county court­ house, Lots K, L, M, N, and 0 of Block 92. Commissioners - James Bennett, D. K. Hessong and George R. Ford. Treasurer L. D. Sweet Clerk & Recorder A. Mulqueen Sheriff J. W. White Assessor F» J. Cunningham Superintendent of Schools E. C. Stimson County Surveyor George Nyce County Judge paren England County Attorney S. C. Wilson District judge L. H. Rucker District Attorney G. D. Johnstone District Clerk John McEvay The courthouse was dedicated with all the pomp and cere­ mony a proud citizenry could bestow. There were many long articles bespeaking its splendor, a fireman's ball to honor it, and a dedication ceremony of immense proportions. From that time to this it has been an emotional, as well aa a phys- ical, landmark for the people of the county. The Aspen Times, January 1890 County Records, Courthouse, Aspen, Colorado LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE COORDINATES LATITUDE AND LONGI^'JDE COORDINATES DEFINING A RECTANGLE LOCATING THE PROPERTY DEFINING THii Lti^TUR POIN I OF A PROPERTY OF LESS THAN TFN ACRES LATITU DE LONGITUDE LATITUDE LONGITUDE Degrees Minutes Seconds Degrees Minutes Seconds Degrees Minutes Seconds Degrees Minutes Seconds NW 39 o li , 26 - 106 ° 49 ' 02 • NE SE APPROXIMATE ACREAGE OF NOMINATED PROPERTY: acres |LIST ALL STATES AND COUNTIES FOR PROPERTIES OVERLAPPING STATE OR COU rn STATE: CODE COUNTY Colorado 08 rn COUNTY: C, NAME AND TITLE: Ramona Markalunas 0 ORGANI ZATION Aspen Historical Society 8-26-74 STREET AND NUMBER: 620 West Bleeker Street, Box 1323 CITY OR TOWN: is* Aspen Colorado 81611 As the designated State Liaison Officer for the Na­ I hereby certify that this property is included in the tional Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (Public Law National Register. 89-665), I hereby nominate this property for inclusion in the National Register and certify that it has been evaluated according to the c-iteria and procedures set naLl, forth by the National Park Service. The recommended Director, Office o/ Archeology and Historic Preservatic level of significance of this nomination is: National d State Q Local ( Date Name Titlt. r rHr\——rfl >/ \,f _ <rww^/lr ~ — fl—. Keeper ofJThe National Register Date Date U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1973-729-147/1442 3-I.